Morning.
Chris Flexen
J.
R. asked: - “Hey Mack, hope things are well with you and Mrs. Mack. A quick
question for your next Morning Report… which prospect do you think will be the
next starter to become part of the Mets rotation… and when?
Mack –
Thanks for the question and it’s good to hear from you again.
At this point, I believe that 22-year old RHP Chris Flexen will crack the rotation sometime next
season. I see him finishing out this season in Las Vegas, returning there next
spring after impressing the Mets brass at spring training, and being called up
once the obligatory DL stints begin.
The only thing that could stand in his way is his seemingly
consistent way of… yes, you got it… getting injured and going on the disabled
list. Still, his talent will demand a spot in the Mets rotation sometime next
season.
Tidbits -
P Daniel Bard made his
Mets debut on Sunday: Brklyn – 0.2-IP,
4-ER, 2-HBP, 5-BB, 3-WP, 54.00-ERA
Ben Badler/Baseball America ranked the Mets 3rd
in signing international prospects this month.
Ben
Lindberg, of https://theringer.com/2017-mlb-home-run-spike-juiced-ball-testing-reveal-155cd21108bc, said that the Juiced ball was back –
Offense
increased again in 1920, as MLB began replacing used baseballs with fresh ones
much more frequently within games, largely in an effort to police a new partial
ban on doctoring the ball. Because the balls were in better condition, they
were easier to drive. The following year brought another rise in run-scoring,
this time not just because the ball was replaced even more frequently, but
because hitters looked around and realized that the new game deserved
(literally) loftier goals than just putting the ball in play. As Wright
recounts, “The biggest factor in the big offensive leap in 1921 was traceable
to a change in the approach of some hitters — they begin to shift from a
general goal of hitting liners and hard grounders to driving more balls in the
air.” Led by Babe Ruth, batters adapted to a bouncier, better-preserved, and
(as of an earlier change from the 1910s) lower-seamed ball and started swinging
for the fences. It all sounds familiar, and today’s bigger, stronger, less
strikeout-averse hitters almost certainly swing harder than ever before.
Click on the link above and read a very interesting article
Ex-Met 3B Eudor Garcia on
his way to play baseball in Mexico
Kingsport Bats –
Who are these guys and where did they come from? I can’t
even pronounce their names no less judge their long-term projection. They are –
3B
Rigoberto Terrazas
- 21/years old – 4th
year in organization (2x DSL, 1x GCL) – hitting .390/.457/.463/920 – 3rd
in league in BA
1B
Jeremy Vasquez – 20/years old – 28th
round draft pick this year - .348/.484/.435/919
C
Juan Uriarte – 19/years old – 3rd
year in organization (DSL, GSL) - .333/.395/.636/1031. 2-HR. 10-RBI
13 comments:
Mack, good morning.
I am holding out hope that we see Flexen in Queens after the sell off, say in September. The injuries have a silver lining - he won't be pushing an innings limit. To get to Queens in September, he'd have to stay red hot. I know, under the Mets' philosophy, a mid-2018 timetable is more likely. But if he is ready, get him up here.
Juan Uriarte is a 6'3" 180, 19 year old catcher who seems to do well throwing out base runners. Can he continue to hit? We'll see. He and Jose Reyes have something in common - a middle name: Bernabe. We always can use a Bernabe in Queens.
Vegas had Taijeron with 4 hits last night, and 2 for Rosario and 2 doubles for Smith. Trade some vets and promote these guys.
Brooklyn finally broke out with the bats last nite - 10 runs, 17 hits - AND 3rd round pick Quinn Brody is off to a hot start - 9 for 27, .457 on base % in 8 games. The 21 year old outfielder is already gaining on...Tim Tebow in the outfield minors rankings!
Ricardo Cespedes returned from injury the same way he was hitting before the injury - hot! Two hits in each of his last 3 games. Bronx-born dude is still 19.
After 3 awful relief outings, they untied the real Tyler Bashlor last night and tossed out the imposter - the real guy fanned the side in the 9th. Welcome back.
Isn't it funny in the era of homer ball, the Mets' first season in Citifield had Murphy as the team leader with a Wilpon-induced 12?
Aaron Judge has 29 homers - draft power hitters, I always say.
I shake my head when we all want Jay Bruce gone.
We have a 40+ HR, 115+ RBI, .260 hitter here who is a great clubhouse guy and loves being a Met.
What am I missing here?
Hey Mack
We need a centerfielder that can play defense. Trade him ASAP and get the most you can for him is my thought.
Bruce keeps it up and he can, and should, stay, if the signing price is realistic. You burn all the bridges, you'll be lucky to win 70 next year. You need a strong core. After all, the Nationals have a guy named Murphy, so you need a real (and healthy) team to beat them
Zozo, I still hope Lagares can get a lot of play in CF in 2018, but he has to be more cautious - getting hurt the way he does is ridiculous. if he were a car driver, he'd be in the high risk pool (but then again, most Mets would join him).
Where was DJ Peters when we needed him against Madison Bumgarner last October? Two homers off him in a single inning! From an MILB article:
In time, DJ Peters and Madison Bumgarner may face each other in a Major League ballpark. Nobody will blame the Giants ace for pitching around him.
The Dodgers' No. 18 prospect hit a pair of homers off Bumgarner - in the fourth inning - of Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga's 14-1 win over San Jose on Wednesday.
Mack I agree the guy gets no love. The problem would be outfield defense cause that puts Conforto in center but I could live with it if we would go with a Smith, Guillorme Rosario first to SS and add a third baseman. I would really like to see Nimmo play more as well as he kinda been forgotten.
Our do-nothing GM could negotiate a contract extension with Jay Bruce NOW rather than waiting for him to hit the open market and face competition from other teams. Nah, that would require foresight and effort...
Okay. I vacillate on this guy. Just shoot me.
I know that the Mets (as usual) have numerous holes to fill in order to field a world class team… a catcher that can both hit and throw… a real third baseman… a killer second baseman… a fifth quality starter… hell, a fourth quality starter… and close to an entire bullpen.
Dominic Smith, Amed Rosario, Michael Conforto, Yoenes Cespedes, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Jeurys Familia, and Jerry Blevens are a good start, but we’re far from done.
Brandon Nimmo seems to be doing a good job this season of convincing all of us that he should stick in Queens, and no one in baseball is now going to bail us out of the remaining years on the Juan Lagares contract. Still, these tow guys seem a better fit for the two utility positions than the critical starting right field.
Now, let me ask you a question… what if a 30-year old right fielder that will hit 40+ home runs this season, knock in 115+ RBIs, hit around .260, is a great clubhouse guy, and wants to be a Met comes to you and wants to sign a two, maybe three year deal to lock up the Mets outfield until after the 2020 season?
Does this quality as a gift horse?
Let’s face it… the Mets pipeline is skinny with outfield prospects. The closest thing to outfield prospects on the four full season teams would be Kevin Kaczmarski (Binghamton), Wuilmer Beccera (St. Lucie) and Desmond Lindsay (Columbia), none of which scream to the top of the MLB prospect list (the Mets seem to be finally realizing this and drafted Quinn Brody, while signing International prospects Jean Carlos Soto, and Adrian Hernandez).
We have no much money coming off the books this off-season and I just believe that the Hot Stove season would be best introduced with a new contract to a good friend to the rest of the players in the clubhouse. And yeah, he can hit the snot off the ball too!
I'd hesitate to extend Bruce right now - maybe he tails off in the 2nd half to 12 homers and .230 for the rest of the year, and you can sign him 2-3 years cheaper than now.
But I agree with Mack - whatever player dumping we do this year, I want this team ready to compete for the World Series next year. So what gets dismantled has to be "remantled" this off season.
I would prefer Lorenzo Cain in centerfield with his 20 homeruns and 30 stolen bases and High on base percentage hitting one or two in our lineup. Plus I believe he plays very good defense
Zozo -
I prefer beluga caviar with my sushi but it just isn't going to happen :0
Why can't it happen? We have $70 million coming off the payroll. I would give him a 5 year $15-17mil a year contract. That's basically the same money they paid Granderson per year for 4 years?
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